As is known, disposable incontinence devices are commercially available in a wide variety of configurations for the specific purpose of absorbing and retaining urine and other body discharges. Typically, these garments have a portion that is designed to hold or position a disposable absorbent article against the body of the wearer. A number of these garments also have structural features that hold the absorbent article in a desired position until the disposable absorbent article is soiled and discarded.
Prior art developments includes GB 2 282 053, which describes a panty that may be used by men who need to wear an absorbent product in the region of their groin as a result of a medical condition. The panty is so configured and constructed that, in use, the absorbent product firmly embraces the body of the wearer by the panty via a partial lining of impermeable material, and movement of t the absorbent product is prevented. This solution has a degree of effect, but problems still arise with regard to tightness which may cause wearer discomfort, rolling up of the leg areas leading to leakage of fluids, and wearer movement can create gapping in the groin and back regions.
GB 2 185 678 A discloses a disposable undergarment comprising an integral absorbent pad that can function as a light incontinence garment. The absorbent pad stretches upwards from the crotch region both in the back and the front region to a point higher than normal absorbent pads. The device is designed to substantially minimize the leakage of fluids in overnight use. The configuration may lead to wearer discomfort due to the built-in and high positioning of the absorbent pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,425 describes an improved panty and method of making the same that has both nonwoven porous fabric panels and nonwoven elastic members. The panty is characterized by elastication in all directions. Problems may arise regarding body contact and the positioning of the absorbent product. Furthermore, the panty is only designed from use by a woman or a child.
WO 92/00051 discloses an undergarment that includes a permanently stretched region within which the incontinence guard is placed and in which the material has a lower elasticity than tin the remaining regions of the undergarment. Such features enable the correct and ready positioning of the incontinence guard and improved wearer confidence. Nevertheless, the configuration leads to bunching in the back region and does not guarantee a high degree of body contact. Furthermore, when the incontinence guard is loaded, the undergarment is incapable of covering the incontinence guard effectively and leakage may occur.
WO 95/09594 relates to a light incontinence panty that is characterized by elastic devices, which extend from the front to the back part of the panty. The elastic devices may comprise elastic threads, ribbons or bands that are preferably mounted between two layers or sheets comprising the panty. The invention however does not disclose a garment that incorporates elasticity through an integral knitting technology. The panty may suffer from such drawbacks as wearer discomfort, sagging of the waistband and a poor fit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,722, issued to Osborn on Mar. 18, 1997 describes a panty-type undergarment. The panty-type undergarment has a front panel, a rear panel, and a crotch portion. The undergarment further includes a substantially anchor-shaped support panel having a greater resistance to stretch than the rest of the undergarment which is integrally knit into the rear panel. The support panel is said to lift and separate the cheeks of a wearer's buttocks. The support panel includes a vertical strip and upwardly curving portions which extend toward and along a portion of the undergarment's leg openings. While such undergarments may lift and separate the cheeks of a wearer's buttocks, the undergarments fail to provide a lifting force that would improve bodily contact between a catamenial device and a wearer's pudendal region.
As is evident, the prior art garments reveal many shortcomings, namely poor body contact due to the movement of the wearer, poor fit, lack of wearer comfort, increased bulkiness leading to a clumsy and unappealing appearance, and leakage of fluids.
It has been discovered that the above drawbacks can be alleviated by a garment as disclosed in the present invention. The garment of the present invention enables both superior body contact and an excellent fit when the disposable absorbent article is both wet and dry. This leads to several benefits such as better positioning and containment of the absorbent article, improved acquisition properties, reduction in leakage and superior wearer confidence and comfort.